Best Campgrounds near Claremont, NH

This campsite is very laid back and we had a great experience. The camping spots are spread out enough that you feel like you have privacy, even if you have neighbors. All spots come with a picnic table and fire pit. Campsite employees are all nice. We also have noticed that the bathrooms and shower area have all been clean.

When we went (July 2025) the water was closed due to Cyanobacteria Blooms, hence the 1 star deduction. We are grateful that they are honest about it, but it is disappointing to not be able to swim at the campers beach.

Overall it’s a clean, relaxing campsite and we will be back.

We love the VT state parks and try to camp there 3-4 times a summer. We unexpectedly had a free Saturday afternoon and night and 2 borrowed kayaks. This was our first visit to Woodford. Site 13 was the only one available. It’s on the corner of the first loop, but that wasn’t an issue to us at all! There were plenty of trees and brush and space so we didn’t feel we were in the road. We drove down to the second loop and parked on the side of the campground road and carried our kayaks down to the camper’s beach. Our dog loved getting a little swim! (No dogs allowed at the day use area). The reservoir is beautiful- plenty of space to spread out for paddling and swimming. We had no issues with noise from other campers. The bathroom in the first loop is fine (cold water sinks, hand soap, paper towels). Token operated showers that we didn’t use this time. We heard coyotes at night and loons in the morning. We’re going back later this summer for a longer stay.

I don't usually put much stock in reviews about other campers, as you never know who will be there, but as other reviews have mentioned there were a ton of happy noisy kids around, couple of unleashed dogs. It looks like there are 4-5 stunningly beautiful sites in each of the three loops and everything else is jammed in. We were at the end of the middle loop and could clearly see into four neighboring sites. Bathrooms were fine, nothing special but clean. Long waits in the morning- two shower stalls and lots of teenagers. The park has a nice grassy area on the water that's dog-friendly, and a separate little no-dog swimming and paddle boat area. Trails were pretty enough if basic, Park also provided a guide to nearby hiking. Overall a good stop near Bennington but I don't know that I'd make it a destination. This whole region appears to depend on MA and NY tourism, lots of expensive vehicles/campers and price inflation at surrounding stores. Firewood was 30% more per bundle than we're used to, though there were downed trees everywhere.

TENT CAMPSITE REVIEW All tent sites are in the way back of the campground. It is very weird... the office (which is only open until 5 PM????? Whaaaat????) Is across the street from where all the campsites are located. Almost all the roads winding through the layout are one way. The sites are very close together with not enough tree coverage between them. We could talk to all people around us at our site which thankfully everyone was super nice, but I'm sure if it were the opposite our experience would have been worse off. The lake is very pretty and we had a nice time out on the water in our raft. Showers and flush toilets nearest to the tent sites are brand new. Can only park one vehicle on site due to fire safety laws which means one of your cars is across the street in overflow, so not really convenient. Would consider coming again in the off season so that it isn't so crowded.

Campground is giant which causes it to be very busy. Little to no activities for kiddos. The pool is the main attraction and really great but gets very very busy. No one was controlling the slides so kids were going down in multiples and not making sure no one was at the bottom. The campground is very hilly and kids are ripping around in pedal and motorized bikes and scooters which is fine but no control at all in regards to speed and helmets. No WiFi or cell service except by the pool which can be hard if you need to be contacted. Cable tv at sites was available and intermittent quality. Sites are ok - nothing that I would say was amazing. All are spacious and generally shaded and flat. You can see all your neighbors but noise level wasn’t terrible. There were a lot of dogs - again totally fine but many barked all day when their owners were away. Bathrooms needed attention and got a bit gross by the pool. On site poolside cafe was ok - basic fried items and ice cream. Golf carts are kind of a must if staying in far away sites and they are very slow - no issue there but no power steering. Staff were very nice and helpful. I would stay again if I had more off site things planned.

My family and I’s experience at Northstar Campgrounds was disappointing and fell far below our expectations. During our stay, an individual who identified himself as Chad approached us and asked us to be quiet, despite it being approximately an hour and a half before the official quiet hours, which begin at 11:00 PM. Chad claimed that our children were too loud while playing, even though their noise level was a little loud, they were simply enjoying their time at this campground. Additionally, Chad consistently stated in his argument that he heard us by the bridge, which is located roughly 300 feet away from our site. This whole entire excuse was ridiculous as one of my friends, who was coming back from the bathroom(which is about 50 feet), said that our music was barely noticeable and perfectly fine and reasonably within our site. What was particularly frustrating was the timing and tone of the interaction. Approaching guests almost two hours before quiet hours, and implying that the noise was unacceptable at that time, felt unnecessary and overly strict. It created an uncomfortable atmosphere and made us feel unwelcome, especially since we had been respectful of the campground rules prior to this. Additionally, there was a lack of clear communication about the campground's policies and a seeming inflexibility that negatively impacted our overall experience. As a family, we value a relaxed and friendly environment, and this incident certainly detracted from that expectation. Regrettably, based on this encounter, I cannot recommend Northstar Campgrounds for families or anyone seeking a peaceful and welcoming outdoor experience with their kids. We hope management will consider giving their valued guests a more memorable, and fun experience.

This could be a nice campground and day use area. Unfortunately VT State Parks Leadership has allowed Fort Dummer State Park to become a haven for criminals and drug users. This campground and park are not safe. Within the first month of opening in 2025 there have been two assaults, multiple incidents of heroine and meth use and drug dealing, a DUI within the park, a trespass citation, multiple reports of high power automatic weapons being shot, and one of the park managers filed a restraining order against a camper for him threatening to “hit her in the mouth” when she tried to enforce the campground rules. Brattleboro police will not respond to incidents within the park boundary as it’s technically in the town of Guilford. VT State police will not respond to issues within the campground- it took 5 call to 911 over 6 hours for them to respond to the repeated DUI offenses in the park. VT F&W Officers are over half an hour away and are understaffed. VT State Parks policy states that their campgrounds are not a short term housing solution, but homeless have taken over the park and trash their sites and the public bathrooms. Highly suggest not hiking or camping at this location for your own safety. If you like used needles, the roar of highway traffic and sleeping next to felons, this is the park for you 🥴